News alert: there is a new line of pet shampoo that is pretty much the Kérastase for the canine set. And guess who is behind this line of luxury? Rapper/mogul Big Boi (half of the duo from Outkast) and Chicago entrepreneur and socialite Bobbi Panter.

This duo makes quite the pair and more importantly quite the line of hair products to fit all types of needs for our fellow furry dog friends. Just launching (and already to much acclaim) , dog owners and their canines are chomping at the bit to get their hands on the hottest shampoo on the market.

Here are some of the reasons why this shampoo is a MUST-have beauty need for all the dogs in the park.

Natural

2x more washes

Tear-free (thank you Big & Bobbi because I know my fellow dog buddies just hate it when those tears start coming)

Salt Free

They smell divine!

I mean, how much better can it get when your dog comes out of the bath and feels like a million bucks? Luckily i am just a little Steiff dog, so my fur stays nice and clean, but (and let’s keep this between you and I) I think the real-live dogs living in Habersham Forest could use a little hydration and a good-smelling wash.

But on a more serious note, these shampoos address all types of ailments and hair types (or should i say fur-types) with specific smells and formulas to give your dog the wash of their life. Some of our faves (the canine-set has been abuzz since we got word of this new shampoo) are Hydrate (which smells like Blue Agave) and Invigorate (my personal favorite) which smells like Peach Rose. Can you think of a more delicious smell? And this formula, straight from the website, ” Restores and revitalizes dogs’ skin and fur with kiwi extract, rosemary, ginger root extract and chamomile, to leave your dog feeling rejuvenated.”

Of course we had to reach out to these two brilliant partners, and we have some exciting news to announce in the pipeline. And it has to do with dogs, Canine Companions for Independence, more dogs and Big Boi & Bobbi Dog Shampoo. So stay tuned and make sure to follow these guys on social media and order your own shampoo.

Hi everyone. It’s been a long time since I got my paws back to the blogging block but here I am !

For those of you who don’t know me, I am a perky Pekingese Steiff stuffed animal by Steiff and I was created by my mom Cathleen Smith Bresciani. I am modeled after the character in mom’s first book Sassafrass Jones & her Search For a Forever Home. Because of my delicate eye condition, I was teased and picked over for adoption many times until my forever family of mice came and adopted me and we lived happily ever after. (That was the very abbreviated version, but I am too excited to talk about me).

But that was all years ago. Now, all grown up, I am one of the main Steiff’s in charge and running the Forest. But back to what I am writing about.

Let’s just start by saying this summer is one that none of us will ever forget. Personally for me, it is the summer where I met my other half, my best friend.

So, ladies and gentlemen and Steiff buddies around the world, meet Spunky. He is the wide-eyed limited edition (just like me) Steiff Golden Retriever to honor Tommy Lasorda’s (baseball VIP, hall of famer, Dodgers superstar) late son Tommy LaSorda Jr. who passed away exactly 25 years ago. Why Spunky? Glad you asked.. My mom, who was his fiancé and was with him until the end, and his family all called him Spunky. That was his name.

Mama Sassafrass, AKA Cathleen Smith Bresciani, works so hard to keep his name out there and leave a legacy that he would have wanted. The legacy he did want. You see, Cathleen and Spunky were engaged and they had a very special place in each other’s hearts . Mama once told me that all this hard work and effort she puts into raising awareness and money for Canine Companions for Independence is all in the name of Tommy Jr. Wow. My mom is really something.

Back to Spunky. He is the real deal. He is so special in so many ways. He is so adorable and i love the way his head turns almost like he is always around and looking at what’s going on. Just seeing the name Spunky on his Steiff tag makes my mom cry sometimes. Only out of happiness though.

He was first introduced to the world at the beginning of June on the field of Dodgers stadium before the team played. He was presented and introduced to the Lasorda family and guess what, Spunky got on the Jumbotron. I was a little jealous!

But here is where it gets even better. Spunky is a Steiff animal made specifically to raise money for Canine Companions for Independence. Each purchase of this cute little dog goes entirely to CCI. This is the real deal, there are no fees taken out, no profit to be made..it’s is all for the amazing organization CCI.

So you see, with Cathleen’s determination and hard work, Spunky AKA Tommy Jr. lives on. He is helping countless people get the service dogs from CCI that will change their lives and give them hope. And these dogs are not cheap. Each dog needs $50,000 to put into the training, raising, placement, and to make sure the dog is the perfect companion to their owner.

Interested in helping out and getting your very own Spunky? Order yours today through Canine Companions for Independence website. Click here…Spunky has his very own page! Www.cci.org/spunky

Guess what? You can carry a little plush Steiff animal everywhere you go. How you may wonder….with a Sassafrass Jones Steiff keyring. We took the plush little Steiff cuties into our Habersham Forest Style Studio and dressed these animals in top-notch fashions.

Okay, so maybe I personally can’t take credit for these guys, but I was there watching it and I did have some say in who should wear what. Like the panda in the tutu, that was all me.

Okay so here they are: The best way to upgrade your set of keys or even your purse or backpack. Just hook these little cuties and get ready to go. All of these are available for purchase on our website.

Which one will you choose? A must-have gift for yourself and for all of the friends in your life. Makes sure to check out our website, http://www.sassafrassjones.com for a brand new selection of custom-dressed Steiff Forever Friends by Cathleen Smith-Bresciani.

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In case you missed our magical afternoon last week, we figured we would give you all the fun details, so you can feel like you were there. Of course, we held the tea party at Mama Sassafrass’s favorite Atlanta neighborhood French Bistro: Café Lapin. (A big thank you to the owner of this amazing place: Mattie Hines)

Steiff North American Authority Rebekah Kaufman gives tea party guests the history of Steiff teddy bears . In this pictures she is holding a Steiff made in 1906 and she calls it her “travel buddy”. Kaufman is also a regular Steiff consultant for etworks including HGTV, CBS (Inside Edition), History.com (Pawn Stars), and E! Entertainment (Clean House), among others. Thom Baker Photography

The star of the afternoon was special guest Rebekah Kaufman, who came all the way from Boston, with three of her teddy bear buddies from Steiff. After tummies were full, Rebekah gave a little talk about the history of Steiff and the teddy bears, and we got to meet some of the coolest and oldest Steiff bears ever.

Her travel buddy was made in 1906, and boy was he in good condition. He was adorable, dressed in LEE overalls that were actually made as a salesman sample in the late 1920s. She gave the people and us Steiff animals the secret formula for identifying the age and value of the Steiff. All the guests were fascinated by the “secret formula” but we will be respectful and keep it a “secret” because that makes it more fun.

The second bear she brought was called a Doll Bear. It was so cute. It had these big lips and open mouth. Steiff made these to look more like a doll and we all oohed and aahed over this little guy.

Some of the guests asked questions about other Steiff animals and there values. Here are some crazy things we learned.

Name an animal of any kind, and Steiff has made it at some point.

They even made five fleas in five different colors at some point in the 90s.

And the worst: there is a cockroach Steiff. Yuck.

But back to the good stuff. Thom Baker, photographer extraordinaire, snapped away at the guests and captured the bears and the ambience in a very magical way. Children that came got to leave with a little basket filled fun items like bubbles shaped like a teddy bear. And of course, people could not get enough of the custom-dressed Steiff animals made by Sassafrass Jones .

The little baskets were filled with bear-y cool goodies for the little ones to take home.Steiff teddy bears dressed in custom Sassafrass Jones outfits were the hit of the party.People and their kids nibbled on fun teddy bear bites and teddy bear-shaped sandwiches at Café Lapin. And, of course, there was endless cups of tea.

Mama Sassafrass (Cathleen Smith Bresciani) wanted me to make sure to thank all the people who attended the magical afternoon of tea and teddies. An extra special thank you to Thom Baker, the photographer, Mattie Hines, a friend and owner of Café Lapin, and Rebekah Kaufman, who travelled from Boston for this delightful afternoon.

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Happy May! As all of us at the Habersham Forest are counting down the days to our Teddy Bear Tea Party in Atlanta, we have all types of cuddly bears on our mind.
Today, we love our Mini Steiff Teddy Bears! They are just as cute as can be and are the best little travel buddies.

Of course, these little teddy bears are tres chic, all dressed up and designed by our couturier in the Habersham
Forest Style Studio.

Stay tuned for more details about the tea party and a lot more fun teddy bear facts, pictures and more to come. Don’t forget to visit our site at http://www.sassafrassjones.com

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Guess what….our Sassafrass Jones ABCS book…you know the one thatb p features a Steiff animal and a cute poem for each letter of the alphabet is buzzing this week. The children’s book written by Mama Sassafrass ( Cathleen Smith Bresciani) and Steiff master Rebekah Kaufman was in the Buzzometer!!

With the weather so gorgeous in Atlanta, we are really getting ready for a fabulous spring filled with great weather, beautiful flowers and one of our favorite pastimes: picnics. Just the thought of a picnic brings a smile to my face and wag to my tail. And since we live at the Habersham Forest, all we have to do is pack a basket filled with goodies, grab a blanket and some other fun things and find the perfect spot to get settled outside.

It’s so much fun to go with our family and friends in the forest…..sometimes we all get to go together…and if you have ever been to the forest you know that is a whole bunch of stuffed animals…lambs, bears, giraffes, mice, etc. The list goes on.

So you can imagine our excitement when we got word of the newest Steiff Picnic Collection. Looks like we will have some new friends joining our crew this spring.

The Worldwide Limited Edition 2016 Steiff Picnic Collection includes Picnic girl, Picnic Boy, Picnic Mama and Picnic Papa. They are so new and there are only 1000 of each of these bears made. So, we recommend you get these guys soon.

Here is a little big from the newest collection and our soon-to-be newest members of the Habersham Forest Family.

The Picnic girl is made of the finest cream-colored Schulte mohair and is the most stylish of the bunch, donning a lace collar tied with a bow. She also carries a working parasol, made out of cotton white lace that open and closes easily. I bet she would not mind sharing the umbrella over my little body if it gets too sunny. Maybe I could loan her a pair of my sassy shades.

The Picnic Boy comes ready to play with his very own kite. He seems ready for anything sporting a blue and white-collar in case there is a post-picnic dinner. Picnic Boy is sen from gold-colored Schulte Mohair and is the friendliest bear of the bunch. At least that is what I am hearing from people outside of the Forest.

I can’t wait to meet our new friends from Steiff and take them on a Habersham Picnic!

And then comes Picnic Papa. He is made from the finest auburn mohair, wearing a straw hat with a burgundy satin ribbon, a beige linen vest and has a wooden wine bottle (because it lasts that much longer). When Papa Picnic is out and about he is always with a bottle of red wine. Couple that with a Provincial picnic spread including a baguette and some cheese, he loves to feel that he is surrounded by the lavender scented summer breeze from his favorite landscape in Provence.

And last but not least, is Picnic Mama Teddy Bear She loves to enjoy fruit in the countryside. In her basket she carries a half melon, strawberry and a pear (all made of wood). Mother Bear is wearing a plaid shawl, with red-laced edging. Her hand embroidered nose in pale pink, makes a nice contrast to the fine-vanilla-colored mohair.